It happens every Easter. You go to the grocery store and buy a dozen eggs, a bottle of vinegar, and a themed box of dye with a cheerful smiling bunny on the package. And on a warm spring afternoon around the table with your family, you get together to dye the eggs in pastel and glitter. But after you’ve boiled your eggs and decorated them in fanciful hues, you wonder who’s going to eat all those hard-boiled eggs. Well, don’t get too egg-cited! Here are a few new ways for you to peel away the egg shells and enjoy an Easter treat or an appetizer for a spring party. Start with this Deviled Egg Upgrade recipe and apply your decorating skills with these fun-filled egg-decorating tips. And remember… the deviling is in the details!
Ingredients:
1 dozen large eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon well-drained sweet pickle relish
Ground paprika for sprinkling
Preparation:
Place all the eggs in a large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them by two inches. Bring the water to a boil over medium high heat, then immediately remove the pan from the burner, cover it, and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a large bowl and fill it with cold water and a few handfuls of ice cubes. Let the eggs cool completely, about 10 minutes, and then drain them again. To make peeling easier, loosen the eggshell by tapping its plump end lightly on the work surface, then rolling it beneath your hand. Work gently so that the cooked egg white remains intact.
To peel each egg, gently pick at the shell, beginning at the plump end. The small pocket of air there makes it easy to peel off a good portion. Peel off the rest of the shell, being sure to remove the silky membrane as well. Rinse the egg to remove any remaining bits of shell and set the egg aside on a platter or in a bowl. Peel all the eggs. Line a large jelly roll pan with paper towels. To make a standard egg, use a table knife to cut each egg in half lengthwise. Gently push out the yolk into a large, shallow bowl. Place the egg whites on the lined pan as you go. When all the eggs are sliced and the yolks emptied out, set the pan with the whites aside.
To prepare the filling, add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper to the dish with the yolks. Use a fork to mash the ingredients into a smooth creamy mixture, scraping down the sides with a spatula or a large spoon as needed. Stir in the sweet pickle relish. Spoon enough filling into the bowl of each egg white to form a small mound, about 2 teaspoons. Keep the eggs chilled, then sprinkle with paprika just before serving. Makes 24 deviled eggs.
Decorating:
Egg Baskets
Decorate with 4-by-1/8-inch length celery sticks—soak them in ice water for 10 minutes to make them pliable; small sprigs of curly parsley; 2/3 of an egg, sliced crosswise; and a small round of the egg sliced from the bottom to keep the basket upright.
Chick Eggs
Decorate with a sprig of flat parsley inserted into a small slit, top third of an egg sliced crosswise, capers, two small bits of carrot, bottom portion of the egg, small round of the egg sliced from the bottom to keep the chick upright, and a carrot coin with edges trimmed to resemble toes.
By D23′s Billy Stanek
This recipe has been converted from a larger quantity in the restaurant kitchens. The flavor profile may vary from the restaurant’s version.
